Keshav is an Indian name of Krishna, traditionally interpreted as "long-haired" or linked to slaying the demon Keshi.
Keshav is one of the many names and epithets of Lord Vishnu, and by extension of Krishna as Vishnu's eighth avatar, in Hindu tradition. The name derives from the Sanskrit *keśa*, meaning "hair," and is interpreted as "one with long, beautiful, or flowing hair" — in some tellings, specifically referring to the beautiful dark curls that distinguish Krishna's iconography. In the *Mahabharata* and the *Bhagavata Purana*, Keshav is used as a direct address to Krishna, and in the *Bhagavad Gita*, Arjuna calls upon "Keshava" at pivotal moments of the text, making the name inseparable from one of Hinduism's central philosophical dialogues.
The name carries the weight of *Vaishnavism* — the devotional tradition centered on Vishnu and Krishna — and has been borne by poets, saints, and philosophers throughout Indian history. Keshavdas, the sixteenth-century Hindi poet and scholar, wrote influential works on poetics and devotional literature; his name exemplifies how Keshav became both a religious act of dedication and a literary lineage. In contemporary India and among the Hindu diaspora worldwide, Keshav remains a beloved given name that balances religious devotion with a warm, accessible sound.
It is short enough to use in full without shortening, yet substantial enough to carry meaning. The name has seen a revival in recent decades as Hindu cultural identity has been reasserted and celebrated both in India and abroad. For families seeking a name that is unambiguously rooted in Sanskrit heritage, spiritually charged, and yet thoroughly wearable in daily life, Keshav offers all three.